Recipient of the prestigious Templeton Prize, Brother John is the true story of a meaningful encounter between the author going through a mid-life crisis, and an umbrella-wielding Trappist monk . This magical encounter on Christmas Eve eventually leads the author, and us all, to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life. Uplifting, deeply moving, and set in the magnificent Trappist monastery of Mepkin Abbey, Brother John is dramatically brought to life by over twenty full color paintings by Glenn Harrington, a multiple award-winning artist. Brother John 's inspirational message takes place at Christmastime, and its inspirational message and rich illustrations are sure to bring the reader back again and again throughout the year. "Congratulations, August! We're proud of you and Brother John. God bless!"  -Rick Warren, author,  The Purpose Driven Life "Just beautiful. As humble and subtle as the brothers but staggering in southern color and beauty and geometry and light. What a treasure." - Mark Harrington, Newsday Journalist/Reporter "A gorgeous Christmas present or special occasion book, Brother John is unique and joyful in its message."- Zippy Sandler, Champagne Living " Brother John by August Turak is a captivating story that calls each of us to reflect on our own lives. Turak does an incredible job of pulling you into life at the monastery. As with any life of great compassion, we fear that we are incapable of living such nobility, but Turak gives us a compelling reason to try. He asserts that if we allow ourselves to pursue the 'everyday noble' in the same way as Brother John, we will experience the miraculous, and a release of fear that our life is not big enough. I found myself filled with hope after reading Brother John , reminded that growth lays before us, on the other side of fear!" - Sarah Heath, author, What's Your Story? Seeing Your Life Through God's Eyes "Congratulations, August! We're proud of you and Brother John. God bless!" -Rick Warren, author, The Purpose Driven Life "Brother John is a charming and simple story with a powerful and insightful message. August Turak speaks beautifully about what truly makes life worth living." - Carl McColman, author, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism; cohost, EncounteringSilence.com**** "A beautiful, and beautifully illustrated, parable for our time--for any time." - James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage**** "Meaning. Purpose. Engagement. Those are our modern buzz words. Yet most focus on the purpose of doing, and not the purpose of being who we really are. Turak's beautiful Brother John gently points us inward and upward toward our ultimate purpose." - David W. Miller, PhD, Director, Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative**** "Brother John tells a simple story of a life profoundly lived. The depth of this life becomes visible and transformative in a simple act of hospitality and kindness: an act that raises the question of the kind of life we really want to live. The story is made all the richer by Glenn Harrington's evocative illustrations. Brother John is deeply rewarding food for contemplation." - William Cahoy, PhD, Dean Emeritus, Saint John's University School of Theology and Seminary**** "In this beautifully illustrated book, August Turak pulls back the curtain of monastic life. Brother John shows us how to bring a little bit of heaven to earth, right now. I highly recommend that you read Brother John and share it with anyone you care about." - Mike Morrell, collaborating author with Richard Rohr, The Divine Dance**** "Beautiful illustrations and it was so refreshing to reread Brother John. It's a powerful reminder of how Brother John lives, how we should all live, and what might be holding us back." - Kavita Hall, Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill AUGUST TURAK  is an award-winning author, speaker, consultant and contributor for Forbes.com and the BBC. He is also the founder of the spiritual and educational nonprofit the Self Knowledge Foundation (SKF). August is a successful entrepreneur and corporate executive. He attributes much of his success to living and working alongside the Trappist monks of Mepkin Abbey since 1996. As a frequent monastic guest, he learned firsthand from the monks as they grew an incredibly successful portfolio of businesses. His first book,  Business Secrets of the Trappist Monks , was published in 2013 by Columbia Business School Publishing. When he is not praying and working alongside the Trappist monks of Mepkin Abbey, he works with his nonprofit and lives on aseventy-five-acre farm near Raleigh, North Carolina. GLENN HARRINGTON  is an internationally recognized and collected artist. His paintings have been featured in  American Arts Quarterly, American Art Collector,  the  New York Times,  the  Philadelphia Inquirer, International Artists Magazine , and the covers of  American Artist  and  US Art . He